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August 30, 2017JOB VACANCIES, MAY 2017 In the 3 months ending in May 2017, there were an average of 5,200 job vacancies in Nova Scotia (unadjusted for seasonality).
Nova Scotia's job vacancy rate, the share of labour demand that is unfilled, was 1.4 per cent in May 2017, the third consecutive monthly increase. The job vacancy rate has risen through 2017, signaling a tighter labour market in Nova Scotia, following a decline through the second half of 2016. Although the data series is relatively new, this appears to be emerging as a seasonal pattern in the province's labour market; the job vacancy rate also dipped later in 2015 and then picked up in early 2016.
Across Canada, Job vacancy rates are highest in British Columbia (2.1 per cent), and lowest in Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick (1.2 per cent).
There were an average of 8.4 unemployed persons per job vacancy in Nova Scotia in the 3 months ending in May.
The number of unemployed persons per job vacancy also signals slack or tightness in the labour market. After increasing through late 2016, the ratio of unemployment-to-job-vacancy has declined in recent months, sending signs of tightening in Nova Scotia's labour market. However, this also appears to be an emerging seasonal trend as the ratio is similar to levels reported in May 2016.
British Columbia currently reports the tightest labour market conditions in Canada, with a job vacancy rate of 2.1 per cent and just 3.2 unemployed persons for each job vacancy. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the labour market conditions signaling the most slack, followed by the Maritime provinces.
Source: Statistics Canada's Job Vacancies. CANSIM 284-0001 and 284-0003
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